Lansdale man accused of killing his mother seeks trial delay

COURTHOUSE — As hinted to by his lawyer last week, a Lansdale man accused of the Halloween stabbing death of his mother has asked a judge to delay his previously scheduled April 26 trial.

Warren H. Pennick, through his lawyer Robert L. Adshead, filed papers in Montgomery County Court on Tuesday seeking the trial postponement.

“The defendant is not prepared to commence trial on April 26, 2013, and needs additional time to prepare his defense,” Adshead wrote in court documents. “(Pennick) will be prejudiced and unable to adequately defend himself against the charges unless this court grants this motion.”

Adshead said Pennick is seeking at least a 90 day trial postponement “in order to allow him the additional time he needs to adequately prepare his defense.” Judge Carolyn T. Carluccio, who will preside over the trial, will have to set a new trial date.

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Pennick, 54, of the 600 block of Salford Avenue, is charged with first- and third-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the alleged Oct. 31, 2012, slaying of his 79-year-old mother Lorraine Pennick.

After Pennick’s arraignment hearing last week, Adshead indicated he is exploring a possible mental infirmity defense strategy on behalf of Pennick. Adshead said Pennick has been evaluated by a clinical psychologist whose initial diagnosis determined Pennick suffers from paranoid schizophrenia with delusions.

Under state law, a person determined to be guilty but mentally ill lacks substantial capacity either to appreciate the seriousness of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the law as a result of a mental disease.

A person found guilty but mentally ill is sentenced to jail but is initially incarcerated in a mental institution to receive treatment. When that person is deemed cured, he must serve the balance of any sentence in jail.

Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Pennick if he’s convicted of first-degree murder, which is an intentional killing. Assistant District Attorney Teresa E. Kibelstis explained that under state law there are not sufficient aggravating factors available to seek the death penalty against Pennick.

As a result, Pennick will face a sentence of life imprisonment if he’s convicted of first-degree murder. A conviction of third-degree murder, a killing committed with malice, is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20-to-40-years imprisonment.

An investigation of Pennick began about 10 a.m. Oct. 31, when Pennick walked into the Lansdale police station and uttered to a police dispatcher, “I just killed my mother,” before giving his name and the Salford Avenue address, according to a criminal complaint.

Police and then detectives spoke with Pennick immediately and he told authorities “he killed his mother by stabbing her and pushing her down the steps inside his home,” according to the arrest affidavit filed by Lansdale Detective Steven Owens and county Detective Todd Richard.

When police arrived at the home to investigate, officers found the woman lying at the bottom of a basement stairway in a pool of blood, with “visible cuts on her body and a large knife resting on her torso,” according to the criminal complaint.

When detectives questioned Pennick they noticed he had blood on his right sneaker and wristwatch band, court papers indicate.

“Detectives also observed fresh abrasions on Pennick’s hands,” Owens and Richard alleged in the criminal complaint.

Detectives observed multiple stab wounds on the victim’s torso and wrists, “along with a slash wound to the throat,” according to the arrest affidavit. A “single-bladed knife” was found on Lorraine Pennick’s torso and the blade measured about 7-inches in length, according to the criminal complaint.

“Also located inside the basement was a utility sink which contained suspected blood evidence near the hot water faucet. Also, a blood stained paper towel was discovered on the floor next to the sink,” Owens and Richard alleged in the arrest affidavit, adding a pair of men’s khaki pants and a grey sweater, both containing what appeared to be dried blood, were found on the floor of Pennick’s bedroom.